


the Greatest

by britanniaangel



Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Angst, Character Death, Drama, Inspired by The Great Gatsby, M/M, Multi, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-12
Updated: 2020-06-08
Packaged: 2021-03-01 22:28:11
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,122
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23604559
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/britanniaangel/pseuds/britanniaangel
Summary: All Tino wanted was a change of pace. He was tired of the smallness of his hometown and he craved something new. He wanted excitement. However, this was a little more excitement than he bargained for.
Relationships: Denmark/Norway (Hetalia), Finland/Sweden (Hetalia)
Comments: 9
Kudos: 17





	1. I

**Author's Note:**

> this has been drafted in my google docs for years and i finally decided to work on it. i love the great gatsby and i've always wanted to write an au for it. hope you all enjoy ♥️

**Sumner, 1947**

The train rolled into Oslo around six in the afternoon. Tino stood up in his seat and stretched, his tight muscles lengthen underneath his skin. He gathered his belongings and hopped off the train. He found a bench outside of the station to sit on as he waited. He watched the passing cars with a feeling of unease deep in his gut. 

Tino shouldn’t have been this anxious. He’d dealt with far more stressful situations than this! This was the first time he has ever left Finland. His move was impulsive and he regretted it. All he wanted was a change of pace! He was tired of the smallness of his hometown and he craved something new. Something exciting. He wanted a fresh start, so he figured moving would be a step in the right direction, but he hadn’t planned on moving to a new country.

Now, here he was alone in Oslo waiting for his estranged cousins to pick him up from the train station. He knew almost nothing about his cousins and he hadn’t seen them in over fifteen years. He had no clue what they were like and who knew if they were even going to like him. This was all a big mistake!

As the minutes ticked by, Tino’s stomach twisted and turned and he felt like he was going to be sick. His cousins told him that they would be coming to get him from the train station at exactly six, but he has been waiting for nearly thirty minutes. He prayed that they hadn’t forgotten about him.

“Excuse me, sir, are you a Mr Tino Väinämöinen?”

Tino looked up to see who was speaking to him. A young man in a sleek black suit and thick-rimmed glasses stood above him. He smiled kindly at Tino.

“Yes, that is me,” said Tino, confused. This wasn’t his cousin. “Who might you be?”

The young man bowed deeply to him. Tino raised his eyebrows, unsure of how to respond. “I am Eduard, Lukas Bondevik’s head butler. I have come to escort you to the mansion.”

“Nice to meet you, uh, sir.” He shook hands with Eduard. “Did Lukas or Emil come with you? They told me over the phone that they were picking me up from the station and it was my understanding that they were coming themselves.”

“My apologies, sir. Mr Bondevik is a busy man. He would have come if he didn’t have to tend to last-minute business before dinner. Let’s get on the road, shall we? We only have a short drive to the mansion.”

Eduard led Tino to a black car parked on the side of the road. He hoisted Tino’s belongings into the trunk before opening the door and gestured for Tino to climb into the backseat. They drove off, weaving through the city. Tino rested his head against the back of the seat and watched the city fly by, marvelling at how beautiful Oslo looked in the evening sun. 

As Eduard said, the drive was not long. They drove to the West End of the city, where the car trundled to a neighbourhood unlike anything Tino had ever seen. His mouth fell open and he pressed his face against the glass window to get a better look at the mansions. Several giant, glittering mansions were scattered throughout the neighbourhood and they were all surrounded by giant yards and thick groups of trees. Across a waterway, Tino could see another cluster of mansions. This was all so different from his hometown in Finland. These mansions made his home look like a garden shed. Thinking of this made Tino suddenly become very self-conscious. 

They pulled up in the wide U-shaped driveway of a mansion that sat the closest to the waterway. It reminded Tino of the castles he had read about in fairytales as a child. Most of the front lawn was covered in a large garden and a water fountain. This was the most amazing home Tino has ever seen. 

Still staring in awe at the mansion, he exited the car and walked up the front steps with Eduard. As they got closer, he could see how intricately detailed the wood carvings on the borders of the windows were. Eduard opened the double doors and gestured for Tino to step inside. They were now in a large entrance hall with dark red carpet and a large wooden staircase that wrapped around the wall.

“If you would like, I can take your things up to the guest room,” Eduard said. “You may leave them for me at the bottom of the stairs.”

“Alright, thank you!” Tino said. He set his belongings at the foot of the staircase and followed Eduard down a hallway. 

“They’re in the dining room,” Eduard said, glancing back at Tino. “We arrived right on time; I believe supper is almost ready!”

Eduard ushered Tino through an open door. Sitting at the round table in the middle of the room were his cousins, Lukas and Emil. On the other side of Lukas was a blond man with wire-rimmed glasses. Tino did not recognise him. The three were in deep conversation and Tino could barely hear what they were saying. He felt his stomach do a nervous flip and he approached the table to greet them.

“Lukas! Emil!” Tino exclaimed. “It’s great to see you.”

“Hello, Tino,” Lukas replied in a low, smooth voice. He stood up from the table to shake Tino’s hand. Tino noticed a beautiful golden cross perched in his hair. “I hope your journey was well?”

“Yes, it was,” Tino said. He grasped Lukas’ hand and shook it before he got settled at the table next to Emil. “I hope you two are doing fine. I haven’t seen you in ages. How long has it been?”

“Ah, about fifteen years, I believe?” said Emil. “It’s been far too long for me to even remember.”

“Thank you, Eduard, for collecting him from the station,” Lukas said to Eduard.

“It was my pleasure, Mr Bondevik,” Eduard replied, bowing deeply to Lukas. “I bid you all a good evening. Have a wonderful dinner.” He turned on his heel and left the dining room. 

“Thank you, Eduard! It was nice meeting you!” Tino called after Eduard, who waved back at him over his shoulder. He turned his attention to the tall man sitting next to Lukas. “Hello, I believe I haven’t introduced myself just yet. My name’s Tino; I’m Lukas and Emil’s cousin.”

The man replied in a thick accent. “M’ name’s Berwald.”

“Berwald! That’s such a lovely name. It’s nice to meet you, Mr Berwald.”

“He is a good friend of mine,” Lukas explained, patting Berwald on the shoulder and sitting back down. “We met while we studied in Denmark. I was getting my degree in business while he was studying medicine.”

“Ah, you’re a doctor?” Tino asked, eyes shining with admiration. “What kind of medicine do you practice?”

“M a surgeon,” Berwald replied. 

“That’s so neat! I’m also in the medical field, but I’m a nurse. I was trained and served as an army medic in the war.”

A butler then pushed in a cart piled high with platters of food and stopped at the table to load the platters. Several other butlers entered the room as well and opened the large windows. Tino could now see the beautiful waterway glistening in the evening sun. A light breeze floated in, wafting the smell of the sea and the food right up Tino’s nose. His mouth watered and he felt his stomach rumble. He just now realised that all he ate that day was food on the train. He piled his plate full of fish, bread, and vegetables and dug in.

Once his nerves calmed, Tino had a fantastic time at dinner. He eagerly listened to his cousins and learned about what they have been up to. Lukas studied in Denmark for a while before the war and then came back to Norway for safety. Since the end of the war, he and Emil have been running their late father’s bank together. Berwald would say a word or two, but otherwise, he was silent.

When they had eaten their fill, they went to the back yard. It was now getting dark and Tino could see lights twinkling from the other mansions. They sat on soft outdoor chairs and drank after-dinner coffee. Eduard brought a plate of cookies to go with their beverages. 

“So, Tino, what was it that you said you’re doing in Oslo?” Emil asked through a mouthful of cookies. 

“Manners, Emil,” Lukas chided. “Don’t talk with your mouth full.”

Emil rolled his eyes. “Whatever,” he said, his mouth still full. He swallowed before speaking again. “Anyway, Tino, what are you doing here? I think you told us over the phone but I don’t exactly remember.”

“I wanted a change of pace,” Tino replied. “I love my village, but I needed a clean start after the war. I tried to find work in Finland, but I never heard back from anybody. Finally, I was offered something here in Oslo, so I figured now is my chance to start fresh.”

“Interesting,” said Lukas, sipping his coffee, “I love Norway too much. I can’t imagine moving anywhere else. Denmark was alright, but Norway is my home.”

“Same,” said Emil. “I’m too used to it here and at this point, I don’t want to go anywhere else.”

Tino hummed and took a sip of his coffee. “I couldn’t imagine myself leaving Finland, but here I am. I love Finland, but being there after the war was emotionally exhausting. And while we’re talking about it, I’d like to thank you two once again for allowing me to stay with you. It’s very helpful and I appreciate it.”

“It’s no problem,” said Lukas. “We are family, after all. You are always welcome in our home.”

Eduard the butler came outside. He strode up to Lukas and whispered something in his ear. Lukas nodded and stood up from his chair. “Alright, I’ll tend to it.”

Emil muttered something under his breath that Tino couldn’t understand as Lukas followed Eduard into the mansion. Berwald shot Emil a warning look but didn’t say anything to the younger man. Tino stared down at his cup, unsure of what to say as silence fell over the three of them.

“I’m going to take a walk,” Emil said at last. He stood up from his chair and set his empty cup on the table next to him. “Who wants to come with me?”

“I’ll walk with you,” Tino said quickly. “Will you be joining us, Berwald?”

Berwald shook his head. “Sorry, not t’night. I have work early in th’ mornin’.”

“Alright, Ber, good night,” Emil said, patting Berwald heartily on the back.

“It was nice meeting you,” Tino said, hopping up from his seat to shake Berwald’s hand. “Hope you have a safe drive home.”

“It was nice meetin’ ye too,” Berwald replied, giving Tino a small smile. Tino felt his stomach flutter. “G’night.”

After watching Berwald pull out of the driveway, Emil and Tino started their walk. They strolled by the side of the dark waterway. As they went along, Emil pointed out the surrounding mansions and talked to Tino about his neighbours. He filled Tino in on the gossip on them, going into detail about the wild things his neighbours have done. Tino became enthralled in the stories, absorbing every word coming from his cousin’s mouth. People from the city were wild!

“Y’know, Tino,” said Emil after he had enough gossiping, “I think Berwald has taken an interest in you.”

Tino gasped. ”What?! How can you tell?"

“He looked so smitten with you when we were on the patio. I don't know if you could like tell, but he was giving you crazy googly eyes."

Tino was blushing madly. "Well, I guess that's flattering but-"

"WHOA!"

Emil stopped in his tracks and he flung out his arm to stop Tino. Tino yelped and nearly walked over his younger cousin’s feet. Emil ignored him.

“Is everything okay?” Tino asked. “What's going on?"

“I’ll tell you later. Just- just look over there across the water,” Emil muttered. “Do you see that?”

Tino squinted into the darkness and saw a figure walking towards the water. All he could tell was that this person was very tall and broad-shouldered. The figure had their arms outstretched as if they were greeting someone. Tino and Emil watched the figure a few more seconds before it turned around and retreated into the night. Emil huffed and he and Tino began to walk back towards the mansion.

“I’ve never seen anybody come out of that mansion,” Emil muttered. “Nobody knows the man who lives there. All I know is he’s called Køhler. There are rumours about him, but as I said, nobody has spoken to him.”

“What do people say about him?” Tino asked, unable to contain the curiosity in his voice. 

“I’ve heard everything from he was a spy during the war to he’s involved in organised crime. It’s all complete bullshit if you ask me.” Emil shook his head. “He’s just some rich guy, I don’t see why people are making such a big fuss about what he does. It’s none of their business.”

They were now back at the mansion. It was mostly dark save for a few windows on the top floor.

“But what I do know,” Emil continued as they climbed the back patio steps, “is that Køhler likes to throw outrageous parties. Everyone in the entire neighbourhood has been to one.”

Tino raised his eyebrows and shook his head in disbelief. If this Køhler man throws gigantic parties, why does nobody know him? Somebody is bound to have run into him at some point. None of this added up.

They were in the entrance hall of the mansion. Emil and Tino made their way up the wooden staircase and down a hallway that split off in two directions.

“Anyway, I’m going to bed,” Emil said with a yawn. He pointed down the hall. “The guest room is the last door on the left. I’ll see ya in the morning, Tino.”

“Okay, goodnight,” Tino said. “Hope you have sweet dreams.”

He trotted off to where Emil had pointed. Suddenly, a large white cat appeared out of nowhere and scurried past his feet, making him jump and yell. Its fluffy tail bobbed behind it. Emil laughed. 

“Don’t worry, that’s just Lukas’ cat, Canute,” said Emil. “He’s friendly and loves guests.”

Tino watched as the cat disappeared around the corner of the hallway before continuing to the guest room. Upon entering, he noticed that his belongings had been placed neatly at the foot of the queen-sized bed sitting in the middle of the room. As he pulled off his day clothes and changed into his sleepwear, Tino made a mental note to thank Eduard again in the morning for bringing his stuff up.


	2. II

Tino slowly became comfortable with his new life in Norway and he settled into a nice routine. Every morning he got up and ate breakfast with his cousins before heading to the clinic. When he came home in the afternoon, he ate dinner with his cousins again. He and Emil would walk sometimes after eating and on other nights he would go to his room and read until he was ready to sleep. 

Nearly every night, Berwald visited the mansion. Lukas and Emil encouraged Tino to befriend the tall, silent man. According to them, Berwald had taken an “interest” in Tino. Tino didn’t understand what kind of interest this was but he did as his cousins advised. Although initially intimidated, he grew to enjoy Berwald’s company. Soon they began to hang out with each other without Lukas or Emil, going on walks and playing chess in the parlour.

Early one morning, nearly two weeks after Tino’s arrival, he was awoken by shouting in the hallway. He sat up in his bed, his mind spinning from drowsiness and confusion. He fumbled to get dressed out of his night-clothes and left the room to see what the commotion was. 

In the hallway, butlers and maids hurried past him. Tino said a quick good morning to the frantic workers and went downstairs to get out of their way. At the bottom of the staircase, Lukas was speaking rapidly with Eduard. When he finished, Eduard nodded and dashed off. Lukas sighed and rubbed his temples, not noticing Tino coming down the stairs behind him.

“Good morning, Lukas, is everything okay?” Tino asked. 

“ _Nei_ ,” Lukas mumbled. Tino could see the exhaustion in his deep blue eyes. “Some important guests are coming over this afternoon on short notice. We need to prepare the mansion for their arrival.”

“Let me know if I can do anything for you.”

Lukas nodded and sighed. “Thank you for your offer, Tino. Breakfast is ready in the dining room. I’ll join you shortly.”

Lukas hurried off, mumbling to himself in Norwegian. Tino watched him go before he went to the dining room. Emil was already seated at the round table and eating breakfast. He had the morning paper spread out before him. Tino took a seat next to him and spooned himself a bowl of porridge out of the pot in the centre of the table. 

“Good morning, Emil,” said Tino. Emil waved at him but did not look up from the newspaper. “What’s up with Lukas? Is he okay?” 

“He’s fine,” Emil replied. “He’s just worried about his fiancée and her brother coming to visit.”

Tino sputtered on his porridge. “H-his what?! Lukas is engaged? He never mentioned it!” 

Emil closed the paper. “That’s ‘cause he hates talking about it. He’s been engaged for a long time. It’s been since before our father died. His fiancée is the daughter of a Swiss banker that was close to our father. They arranged the marriage in hopes of merging the two banks.”

“If he doesn’t like it, why doesn’t he just call it off? Can he do that?”

“I wish it was that easy,” Emil sighed. “He won’t do that, at least not willingly. Even though father’s dead, he still doesn’t wanna disappoint him.”

He reopened the paper and resumed his reading. Tino quietly went back to eating his food. Lukas did not join them for breakfast. 

Tino headed off to work after he finished eating with Emil. When he stepped out of the front door, something sitting on the doorstep caught his eye. It was a dark red envelope. 

“What’s this?” Tino muttered to himself. 

He kneeled to pick up the envelope and inspected it. It was addressed to Lukas and Emil. Letter in hand, Tino went back inside the mansion. Emil was standing at the bottom of the staircase petting Canute as Tino approached him. 

“Hey, this was on the doorstep,” he said, handing the envelope to Emil. “Is it something important?” His younger cousin squinted at the envelope before handing it back to Tino.

“Looks like it’s a Køhler invitation,” said Emil, shrugging. Canute was annoyed that Emil stopped petting him and he scampered up the stairs, bushy tail bouncing behind him. “Guess he's having a party this weekend.”

“We should go!” Tino said at once, his eyes lighting up with excitement. “Didn’t you say they’re very extravagant?”

“ _You_ can go,” said Emil. “I’m not.”

“Why don’t you wanna go? They sound fun, Emil! Let’s see if Lukas wants to go.” 

“Eh, I’m not that into big parties. I've been to one and it wasn't my thing. Lukas never goes to them either. Every time he gets a Køhler invitation he throws it out.”

Tino pouted. “Alright, fine. Since you two wanna be killjoys, I’ll find somebody else to go with me.”

Emil chuckled as Tino went outside, where Eduard was waiting to drive him to work. They arrived at the clinic about ten minutes later and Eduard pulled over to let Tino out. As Tino bid Eduard goodbye and prepared to exit the car, he remembered the invitation to the Køhler party.

“Hey, Eduard,” said Tino, pausing for a moment, “are you busy Friday? There’s a party at the Køhler mansion and I want to know if you were interested in joining me.”

Eduard laughed lightly. “Sorry, Mr Väinämöinen, I won’t be able to go with you. I have duties to attend to for Mr Bondevik.”

Tino pouted. “Ah, okay. See you this afternoon, Eduard.”

He left the car and went to work. At the front desk, Tino continued to pout as he started going through the day’s appointments. It seemed that nobody was able to go to the party with him. He wanted to go, but going alone was far too daunting. He gave himself a goal to find somebody to go with by the end of the day.

_____

When it was half-past five in the afternoon, Tino clocked out of work. The day had been hectic and he was ready to dig into a nice meal as soon as he got home. Eduard was waiting for him on the side of the road and they drove off towards the mansion. Unfortunately, the traffic was horrible and it took them twice the amount of time it normally took to get back.

They arrived at the mansion a few minutes after six. Tino thanked Eduard and headed into the mansion. Another butler in the entrance hall informed him that his cousins were in the parlour and Tino power-walked in that direction. As the butler had said, Lukas and Emil were sitting around the fireplace. Berwald was with them as usual, but there were two guests whom Tino did not recognise. 

“Hey, I’m back from work,” Tino announced. “Sorry it took so long; the traffic was horrible.”

“No worries, Tino,” Lukas replied. He stood up from the settee. “I would like you to meet my fiancée, Lili Zwingli. She is the daughter of a Swiss banker. Our fathers were very good acquaintances.”

A small young woman who looked no older than eighteen sat on the settee next to Lukas. She wore a dark blue ribbon in her short, straw-blond hair. Her large green eyes made her resemble a life-sized doll. 

“Hello, sir,” Lili said in a soft, girlish voice. She stood up and curtsied deeply to Tino. He stared at her, unsure of how to respond to this gesture. 

“Oh, uh, hello, Miss. Lili, you look very lovely,” Tino said. “It’s nice to, um, meet you. Did you have a good journey here?”

“Yes, I did,” Lili replied. “Thank you very much, sir.” She blushed and turned away from him. She sat back down on the settee and folded her hands neatly in her lap. 

“This is her older brother, Vash,” Lukas said. “He took it upon himself to accompany Lili on her journey here.”

A young man, who looked like an older, rougher version of Lili, stiffly nodded at Lukas’ words. To Tino’s shock, there was a shiny gun in a holster strapped to Vash’s belt. He gave Vash a nervous smile, which was not returned. 

Eduard then entered the parlour. “Good evening. I am here to announce that dinner is ready! Please make your way to the dining room.”

They all got up at once and migrated to the dining room. Tino could already smell delicious meat and vegetables. A fantastic feast was set out before them and they dug in as soon as they sat down.

The entire dinner was just as awkward as the first meeting. By then it was obvious to Tino that neither Lukas nor Lili wanted to go through with the marriage. Lili was extremely uncomfortable around Lukas. She fidgeted in her seat and refused to look him in the eye. Every word she spoke to him sounded forced and it pained Tino to watch them interact. Lukas’ words sounded strained as well and he lacked his usual smooth, calm tone. He cast glances at Emil and Berwald like he was pleading for their help.

Vash, however, either did not notice the awkward tension in the air or he didn’t care about it. He continued to talk with Lukas and Lili, practically ignoring the other three at the table. Tino was taken aback by his crassness and rough language. He couldn’t believe Lukas put up with this! 

Throughout dinner, Vash went on about the bank and hunting trips he went on with his father. Lukas pretended to be interested, asking the Swiss man many questions about his endeavours. To Tino’s discomfort, Vash tended to go into detail about killing the animals. The Finnish man grimaced at Vash’s words, praying that this dinner would end soon.

“Anyway!” Vash said. He had just finished his story about a particularly harrowing encounter with a bear in the Alps. He turned to Tino. “So you’re Lukas’ cousin, eh? Tell me, what is it that you do?”

“Oh!” Tino exclaimed, the heat rising in his face. He felt like a deer in the headlights. “I’m, uh, I’m a nurse. I served as an army medic during the war and came to Norway for a new job.”

“A nurse?” Vash asked, his eyebrows raised. “Isn’t that job for… women? Why didn’t you train in combat instead?”

“Men can be nurses too!” Tino said quickly. “Several other men were serving as nurses in the army. I felt I would be much more useful as a medic than in direct combat.”

“Hmm, interesting. I’ve still never met a male nurse. Do you ever think about becoming a doctor instead?” 

“I… um…” 

At this point, Tino’s face was bright red and he prayed that he would just turn invisible. Lukas could sense Tino’s discomfort and quickly steered Vash away from the topic. Tino breathed a sigh of relief and mentally thanked Lukas. For the rest of dinner, he stared down at his half-finished plate, his appetite lost.

After dinner, the group headed back to the parlour for after-dinner coffee. Berwald, however, decided to go home. Tino didn’t blame him. He wouldn’t want to hang around Vash either. Maybe he’d make up an excuse to turn in for the night early.

As Berwald left the dining room, Tino suddenly remembered something he needed to do. He scampered out of the room and after the taller man. Lukas and Emil watched curiously as he followed Berwald. 

“Hey, Berwald!” Tino said. “Hey, wait up! Can I speak to you a moment, please?”

“Hmm?” Berwald stopped and turned around. “Wh’t’s up, T’no? Is ‘ryth’ng okay?”

“Yes, I’m fine. Listen, um, there's a party this weekend at that Køhler mansion. I asked Lukas, Emil, and Eduard and they didn’t want to go, so I wanted to know if you’d like to go with me?”

Berwald raised his eyebrows in surprise. “Sure, I can go w’ ye.”

Tino’s face split into a wide smile. “Great! Thank you, I didn’t want to go by myself. It’s, ah, it’s a little scary, ya know? Anyway, it's Friday, so I’ll see you then?”

“Okay, see ye, T’no. I will pick ye up ‘round nine.”

Berwald lumbered off down the hallway. Tino watched him leave before he trotted off to join the others in the parlour, his heart feeling full of excitement. He did it! He’s going to the Køhler party!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> vash sweetie im so sorry but i needed a "tom"


	3. III

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> wooooo parity time

“Tino, are you wearing that to the party?”

Tino looked over his shoulder and saw Emil standing in the doorway, who was frowning at Tino’s shabby dress jacket and pants. It was three days until the Køhler party and, unfortunately, Tino’s only dress clothes were tattered hand-me-downs from a friend back in Finland. 

“Th-this is all I have!” Tino said indignantly. “It’s not my fault they look like this!”

“Mmm,” Emil hummed. He approached Tino and surveyed his outfit up close. The Finnish man felt even more embarrassed. “Hold on, let me see if I have something you can wear.”

The younger man took Tino by the hand and steered him down the hallway to his bedroom. Emil flung open his wardrobe and began to rifle through his clothes, muttering to himself. Tino stood silently next to him and looked around the room. 

“Here, this should work,” said Emil. He pulled out a light blue suit and placed it into Tino’s arms. “Go try this on, I think it’ll look great on you.”

“Thank you, Emil,” Tino said. He smiled down at the suit and caressed the soft fabric.

He went to his bedroom and slipped into the new suit. It fit him perfectly and he couldn’t stop admiring himself in the mirror. He spun around, looking at himself at every angle possible. He couldn’t believe how handsome the suit looked on him!

Emil’s reflection appeared at his shoulder, smiling at him. “You like it?”

“Emil!” Tino gasped. “It’s so beautiful. I love it!”

Tino turned around and pulled Emil into a tight hug. Emil squeaked in surprise but patted him on the back. 

“Thank you, thank you, Emil,” whispered Tino.

Emil tried to shrug with Tino’s arms still around him. “It’s whatever. Just, er, just don’t mess it up. Okay?”

Tino laughed and let go of Emil. “Alright, I promise.”

_________

On the evening of the party, Tino had dinner with his cousins before rushing up to his room to get ready. He once again took the time to admire the outfit in the mirror, lovingly caressing the light blue fabric. He was still stunned at how beautiful the suit was. This night was going to be absolutely _perfect_. 

Buzzing with excitement, Tino went down to the parlour to read as he waited for Berwald to pick him up. Canute plopped down next to him on the settee. The large white cat curled up and purred as Tino stroked his fur. Berwald, dressed in a dark blue suit, arrived at exactly nine and they headed off to the party.

The Køhler mansion couldn’t be more different than Lukas and Emil’s mansion. The large white estate stood out amongst the others around it, sparkling in the night. It felt so _alive_. Tino could hear music coming through the open front doors. Guests arrived in flashy cars and were greeted by butlers waiting in the driveway. Upon parking by a water fountain, a butler opened Tino and Berwald’s doors for them. They thanked the butler before they pushed through the crowd and made their way into the mansion.

The whole inside of the mansion was as brightly lit as the outside and it was filled with hoards of people. Happy voices echoed throughout the rooms along with the music. Even the marble staircase was nearly spilling over with tipsy guests. Tino feared that one of them was going to tumble down any second now. He scooted away from them for his own safety. 

“This is… This is… wow,” said Tino. He clutched tightly to Berwald’s arm in fear that he’d get swept away in the crowd. His head turned in all directions, eyes wide with child-like excitement. “Berwald this is amazing! I’ve never seen anything like this! Lukas and Emil are totally missing out!”

“Mmm,” Berwald mumbled and nodded in agreement. 

“Thank you again for joining me,” said Tino. “This really means a lot.”

“‘S no problem. I’ve been wantin’ t’ c’me t’ one o’ these parties. I’ve been v’ry curious ‘bout th’m.”

Tino glanced around at the other guests, admiring their silky dresses and finely pressed suits. They were the most beautiful people he has ever seen. He now felt even more grateful that Emil let him wear this suit otherwise, he would have stuck out amongst the glistening sea of party guests.

“Would you like some champagne, sirs?” said a butler, who suddenly appeared next to Tino and Berwald. He practically shoved a tray of champagne glasses in their faces.

“Oh, yes please!” said Tino. 

He took a glass from the tray and handed it to Berwald before getting one for himself. The butler’s flashed down to Tino’s hand that had remained clamped to Berwald’s upper arm. 

“Are you and your partner enjoying the party, sir?” The butler asked. 

“My partner?!” Tino exclaimed. Berwald’s eyes widened and he sputtered on his glass of champagne. “Oh, no sir, you must be mistaken. We are just friends!”

The butler smiled at them. “Ah, my apologies, sirs. Anyway, please enjoy the party! There is a dance floor in the backyard.” 

The butler turned on his heel and disappeared into the crowd. Tino and Berwald exchanged awkward glances as they continued to wander around the mansion. He still kept his arm locked with Berwald’s. 

Tino would catch snippets of conversations, mostly guests gossipping and swapping rumours about the identity of their mysterious host. He craned his neck to listen to what they were saying whenever his ears caught somebody mentioning Køhler.

“Did you hear?” said a woman in the parlour. A group of women standing around her drew in closer, eyes wide and eager to hear what she has to say. “Køhler is a spy! He was a spy during WWII! Can you believe it?”

“No, that’s not true,” another woman scoffed. “He wasn’t just a spy. I heard he’s _related_ to Hitler! I heard it from a man who knew him during the war!”

The group of women around her gasped loudly and began chattering all at once, eager to put in their own rumours they heard. Tino rolled his eyes. There’s no way any that was true; Emil said it was a bunch of bullshit.

Was it?

Berwald and Tino then made their way to the backyard. Outside, there was indeed a dance floor around a swimming pool. A group of drunk women were swimming around, their sparkling dresses floating behind them like mermaid tails. A large orchestra stood around on the back porch and played energetic music. There were several sitting areas and tables piled high with food and drinks around the yard. 

Throughout the night butlers continued to hand Tino and Berwald glasses of champagne. Almost immediately after he finished his fourth glass, Tino started to feel the effects of the alcohol. It had been so long since he last drank and his body wasn’t used to it. His face was getting redder and redder by the minute and his whole body felt incredibly warm. 

He and Berwald stumbled around the party arm in arm, breaking out into fits of laughter over the smallest things. One of them would start laughing, causing the other to laugh as well. Everything was absolutely hilarious! Others around them laughed too, enjoying a drunken moment together. 

The orchestra suddenly started up a loud, energetic song and Tino _had_ to dance. Now.

“Berwald, let’s go!” Tino exclaimed. 

Not waiting for a reply, he grabbed Berwald’s hand and dragged him onto the dancefloor. The taller man did not object and soon the two were twisting and spinning around madly to the song. Tino and Berwald were dancing at a dizzying pace, laughing and shouting as they bounced around the dance floor. The other partygoers around them laughed and danced out of their way. 

The song ended after another minute or so and then the orchestra started a slower song. Tino gave Berwald a sheepish look. Berwald looked down at him and, to Tino’s surprise, he pulled the Finnish man in close. Tino rested his head on Berwald’s chest as they swayed to the music. The other couples around them were all slow dancing, so why not? What’s the harm in slow dancing with your friend?

When the song was over, they decided to take a break from dancing. Berwald and Tino trudged over to the food tables and filled up a couple of plates. They wandered through the yard until they found a mostly vacant table. The table was occupied by one person: a handsome young man with wild blond hair. 

“Hello!” Tino chirped. “Mind if we rest with you?”

“Not at all!” the young man replied, gesturing to the seats around him.

Berwald and Tino thanked him before they got settled down at the table. They ate while the young man sat there and watched guests dance. He smiled and chuckled to himself as he sipped on a glass of champagne. 

“ _Hej_ , have I met you two before?” the young man asked. He turned to Berwald and Tino. “You both look extremely familiar.”

“Not th’t I know of,” said Berwald through a mouth full of roasted chicken. Tino giggled and patted Berwald’s mouth with a napkin. “Have I seen ye ‘round?”

“Ah no, I don’t think we’ve met!” said Tino. He was surprised by how jumbled his words sounded. “I’m not from around here, I’m from Finland and just recently moved into town.”

“Interesting, I could have sworn I’ve seen you somewhere! I’m from Denmark, by the way,” said the young man, grinning proudly. “Lived there up until the end of the war. Are you having a good time?”

“Yeah, w’ are,” Berwald said. 

“This is the most spectacular party I’ve ever been to!” said Tino. “Me and Berwald here decided to check it out. Køhler sent my cousins an invitation, see?” He pulled out the invitation from his pocket to show the young man. “They didn’t want to come, so I came in their place. Have you met Køhler? I haven’t, but I heard he’s Hitler’s cousin or something. Do you think that’s true?”

“I’m Køhler,” said the young man suddenly. 

“You-you’re, oh?” Tino faltered. Berwald made a noise of surprise next to him. “I’m sorry, what was that again?” 

Køhler laughed. “Yeah, it’s me, Mathias Køhler. Sorry for not properly introducing myself before. I'm not exactly the greatest party host.”

Mathias Køhler gave them a wide smile, flashing his bright teeth at them. Tino was speechless. His mind wouldn’t form any coherent words. It couldn’t. He sat there, absolutely dumbfounded, staring at Mathias Køhler with wide eyes. Next to him, Berwald looked equally stunned. 

Right as Tino was about to say something, a butler approached Mathias and whispered in his ear. Mathias nodded and dismissed the butler. He turned back to Berwald and Tino. 

“ _Hej_ , it’s been great meeting you two,” said Mathias, “but I have some business to attend to.” 

He rose up from the table and gave them one last dazzling smile before he hurried off after his butler. Tino let out a low whistle as he continued to stare at Mathias’ retreating figure. Once Mathias was out of eyesight, he finally found his voice again. 

“Wait till I tell Emil about this!” Tino exclaimed, his voice shaking. “He’s gonna have a fit when he hears I’ve spoken to Køhler.”

Berwald chuckled. They rested for a few more minutes before they got up to dance and drink once more. Tino’s muscles were aching and he knew that he was going to feel horrible in the morning, but he didn’t care. He kept dancing with Berwald, feet tapping and stomping to the beat. 

Around one in the morning, the party began to slow down. The orchestra announced that they were going to start playing their last songs of the night. As they played, fireworks illuminated the sky behind them. Tino and Berwald stood in the crowd of guests looking up at the sky. 

A butler approached Berwald and whispered in his ear. Berwald gave him a surprised look but nodded. 

“T’no,” he said, bending down to talk directly into the smaller man’s ear. “I have t’ go somewhere. I’ll be right back.”

“O-okay, Berwald?” Tino said, looking up at Berwald. He watched him leave with the butler before he turned back to the fireworks. He didn’t have a good feeling about this… 

After the fireworks, the butlers began to clean up around the mansion. Guests trickled out through the front door and across the yard to get into their cars. As he waited for Berwald to return, Tino watched guests stumble around and try to find their friends before leaving.

Around two in the morning, Tino was still waiting for Berwald. At this point, he lay in the parlour on a settee, staring up at the ceiling. Drunk guests sat around him, trying to sober up enough to go home. He was ready to go, but where was Berwald? What’s keeping him for so long?

“T’no!” a voice called. “T’no!”

Tino sat up. Berwald stood in the doorway to the parlour. 

“Berwald! There you are!” Tino said. He hurried over to his friend. “C’mon, let’s get out of here. I’m exhausted. Are you able to drive?”

Berwald nodded and they left the parlour. Mathias stood by the front door, watching his guests file out. He didn’t acknowledge any of them. Tino went to the side to speak with Mathias for a few seconds.

“Thank you for throwing the party, Mathias!” Tino chirped. “I really enjoyed it!”

“No, thank you for coming,” said Mathias, clapping Tino heartily on the back. He did the same with Berwald. “I’m glad you had a good time.”

“I’m sorry about the, er, rumours,” said Tino. “I-I didn’t know, uh-”

“It’s no problem, kiddo,” said Mathias, patting him on the shoulder and flashing his brilliant smile. “I’m used to the ridiculous rumours. I think they’re quite funny, actually. Anyway, we should meet up again sometime!”

“Yes!” Tino exclaimed. “I would love that. Would you, Ber?”

Berwald nodded, his eyes locked on Mathias, who seemed oblivious of the taller man’s stare. With that, Berwald and Tino shuffled out of the mansion. They made their way to Berwald’s car and drove off back to Lukas and Emil’s place. The whole ride there, Berwald did not mention anything about where he had gone off to. Tino desperately wanted to bring it up, but Berwald did not seem to be in the mood for questioning and he was too tired to press Berwald for any answers. 

When they got back, they both got out of the car and walked into the mansion. They stood at the bottom of the entrance staircase for a few moments. Tino gave the taller man a sweet smile.

“Tonight was great,” Tino said. “Thank you for joining me, Berwald.”

“N’ problem,” Berwald replied. “G’night, Tino.”

Before he realised what he was doing, Tino stood on his toes and planted a quick, soft kiss on Berwald’s cheek. Blushing madly, he scampered up the staircase, too embarrassed to look back at Berwald’s equally stunned, crimson face. It was only when he was finally alone in his room did he let out a loud whiny noise, diving into his bed. He buried his face in his pillow, the embarrassment eating away at him. 

What did he just do?!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry for the delay!! i just started summer classes again and it's been pretty hectic.


End file.
